Went off to 'phretta for lunch, and visited the local temple there. Got some discount prayer beads that would've been substantially more expensive from the High Fane. Also made a few minor grievances know to an acolyte. Hed suggested I bring the offending artifact in so the priesthood can put some fear into it. (Interestingly, now home later, it seems to have shrugged off one of those quirks). Had a nice chat over lunch about quantum optics and the like. Saw the boys near the orifice, and found out, from them, that I have a girlfriend. A surprise to me, I tried to clear that up a bit. Focus was the sick girl collection, none mine, just all around.

The kitty is still in an indeterminate quantum state. I have not opened the box. I did call a couple times, but the professor is busy, it seems.

Went on from 'phretta to the Super Target, eventually. Quite eventually. Borrowed their 'fresher and made my way around nearly the whole store in a deliberate manner. I did eventually collect nearly everything on the shopping list, including such oddiments as carpet stain cleaner, tooth brushes, floss, drain clog enzymes, a power strip for the living room, some bins for hobby stuffs which are cluttering the living room floor. And, got a shredder for the living room, or perhaps the dining room. I carefully examined nearly every square meter of the toys and games section, getting up to speed on the current toy cycle. I only bought a CSI puzzle, and a puzzle mat from there.

GI Joes are big again, and about $15. A five-dollar Barbie is a ballerina again. All of the board games are available, many in several editions, often with DVD features. Many old favourites (including Risk and Stratego) are available is attractive wooden boxes. Almost one whole aisle is given over to software for portable electronic toys, some allegedly educational. Tinker-toys, Lincoln logs, Uno .. I didn't see any jacks or plastic army men, but maybe I missed them. Lucasarts is somehow still manufacturing new Stars Wars action figure, both the small ones, and some larger ones. And then there's the toy Millennium Falcon that transforms into a pair of mecha for Han and Chewie. Lots of mecha for Star Wars, which is nearly as odd as the Bat-Man sword. The 'Ultimate Light Saber' kit is about 47 Dollars. Bat-Man and the Bratz both offer laptops, but only theirs offers to teach you Spanish. (I snapped a few pics of other odd things, and I'll put them up later.)

Which short essay on toy trends, and the armload of undies I bought, just goes to demonstrate that things are starting to get to me. I'm sure you are all relieved, in some fashion. Toys and pretties. Eating chocolate now, watching Dr. Who on telly.

I will leave you with a quote from lunch: "It is all funny, right? It has to be funny, or else .."